Veg Biryani Recipe | How to make Hyderabadi Veg Biryani Recipe

hyderabadi vegetable biryani recipe with step by step photos – this is the most popular veg biryani recipe posted on the blog, tried and tested by many readers. another popular vegetable biryani recipe on the blog is restaurant style vegetable dum biryani.

one of my favorite food is the hyderabadi vegetable biryani. my mom makes the best biryanis and i have seen her many times cooking biryani with a lot of love and care. you really have to cook biryani with patience, care and attention. there should be no hurry and cooking a biryani takes up some time. yet it is worth it. it is one of the most royal and grand rice based dish from the indian cuisine.

the biryanis which i have seen my mom making at home have always been cooked on dum. ideally biryanis are cooked on dum. but i have seen and read pressure cooked biryani recipes too. i tried various methods and techniques to cook biryani in a pressure cooker. except for one method, the rest of the methods did not succeed and the biryanis, tasted to me like pulaos.

an authentic vegetable biryani is always slow cooked on dum. this cooking on dum gives the biriyani its uniqueness and originality. this is how the biryani has the beautiful medley of the aromas, flavors and tastes caused by the blending of the ingredients used in making it.

what is dum cooking or dum pukht – dum pukht is a technique of cooking in steam by not allowing the steam to pass. dum pukht literally means choking off the steam. the food is kept in a sealed container – usually clay pots (also known as handi in India) which are sealed tightly with wheat flour dough. this does not allow the steam to pass. the food gets cooked in its own steam and juices on a slow fire infusing the flavors and aroma of its own herbs and spices in the food. nutrients are not lost in this process and thus the food is nutritious too.

this tradition of dum pukht originated in persia where the dish was prepared, sealed and then buried in hot sand to mature. dum pukht is part of the avadhi/awadhi Cuisine which is from the city of lucknow – uttar pradesh. dum pukht method is also used in hyderabadi, mughlai and punjabi cuisines.

some of the popular dum recipes are : kashmiri dum aloo, punjabi dum aloo, mughlai veg biryani, bengali dum aloo, mushroom dum biryani, veg handi.

this hyderabadi vegetable biryani recipe is one of the best biryani i prepare. i also cook my mom’s version and that too comes out great. i will also post her recipe one day. there is also the lucknowi biryani, mughlai biryani, kashmiri biryani, kerala biryani. they all have their own tastes and flavors. this vegetable biryani recipe is light, a bit spicy and delicious.

the subtle flavors of the garam masala, onions and curd are so infused in the vegetables. each bite of the vegetable had the taste, flavor and aroma of the masala as well as the unique taste of that veggie.all i can say is that each bite of this hyderabadi dum vegetable biryani recipe was heavenly. as far as the ingredients are concerned, its best to use all the ingredients as mentioned below.

this hyderabadi veg biryani recipe post is one of my lengthy post with a lot of pictures. i have included step by step recipe details with pictures for this post. i hope you enjoy making this recipe as much as I enjoy making this biryani. i also hope that these pictures inspire you to cook not only biryani but any recipe.

if you are looking for more biryani recipes then do check kerala biryani, bombay biryani, kashmiri biryani, mushroom biryani e dum pukht, south indian mushroom biryani and qabooli biryani or chana dal biryani.

hyderabadi vegetable biryani recipe below:

4.7 from 77 reviews

veg biryani recipe | how to make hyderabadi veg biryani recipe

 

save print

prep time

45 mins

cook time

45 mins

total time

1 hour 30 mins

 

hyderabadi veg biryani recipe - a vegetable biryani recipe from the land of the nawabs -hyderabad. the hyderabadi vegetable biryani recipe is light, a bit spiced, aromatic and deliciously yum.

author: dassana

recipe type: main

cuisine: indian

serves: 4 to 5

ingredients (measuring cup used, 1 cup = 250 ml)

prepping rice:

• 1.5 cups basmati rice, 300 grams
• 1 cup water for soaking rice

prepping veggies:

• 150 grams cauliflower, 1.5 cups medium cauliflower florets
• 90 to 100 grams potatoes, 2 medium potatoes or ¾ to 1 cup chopped potatoes
• 90 to 100 grams carrots or 1 medium to large carrot, ½ cup chopped carrots
• 50 grams french beans or 11 to 12 french beans, ¼ cup chopped french beans
• 8 to 9 button mushroom, sliced or chopped, (optional)
• 1 small to medium green bell pepper or capsicum, 40 to 60 grams, ¼ to ⅓ cup chopped bell pepper (optional)
• ½ cup fresh or frozen peas.
• 115 grams onion or 1 large onion or 1 heaped cup thinly sliced onions
• 10 grams ginger or 2 pieces of 2 inch ginger or 1.5 tbsp finely chopped ginger or 1 tbsp ginger paste
• 5 grams garlic or 10 to 12 medium garlic cloves or 1 tbsp finely chopped garlic or ½ tbsp garlic paste

for cooking rice:

• 2 green cardamoms/hari elaichi or choti elaichi
• 2 black cardamoms/badi elaichi
• 2 cloves/laung/lavang
• 1 cinnamon/dalchini of 1 inch
• 1 indian bay leaf/tej patta
• 2 single mace strands/javitri
• 5 cups water
• ½ tsp salt or add as per taste

for vegetable gravy:

• 3 tbsp ghee (can use 3 tbsp oil instead of ghee)
• 1 tsp shah jeera
• 1 tej patta
• 3 green cardamoms
• 3 cloves
• 1 black cardamon
• 1 inch cinnamon
• 1 cup fresh whisked yogurt/curd/dahi (200 grams)
• ½ tsp turmeric powder
• 1 tsp red chilli powder
• ½ cup water for pressure cooking and ¾ cup water if cooking in a pot
• 2 tbsp cashews
• 1 tbsp sultanas/raisins
• 2 tbsp almonds/badam, raw or blanched, peeled and sliced
• salt as required

for assembling and layering:

• 20 grams coriander leaves or ⅓ cup chopped coriander leaves
• 5 grams mint leaves or ⅓ cup mint leaves, chopped
• 4 to 5 tbsp milk
• ¼ tsp saffron/kesar strands
• 2 tsp kewra water or rose water

how to make the recipe:

prepping:

1. pick and rinse basmati rice in running water till the water runs clear of starch. soak the rice in 1 cup of water for 30 minutes.
2. after 30 minutes drain the rice and keep aside.
3. when the rice is soaking prep all the veggies and other ingredients. keep aside.

cooking rice:

1. take a deep bottomed pan. add 5 cups water and heat the water on a high flame.
2. when the water becomes hot, add all the spices and salt - 1 tej patta, 3 green cardamoms, 3 cloves, 1 black cardamom, 1 inch cinnamon.
3. bring the water to a boil. then add the rice.
4. just gently stir with a spoon or fork, after you add the rice.
5. do not reduce the flame and continue to cook the rice.
6. the rice has to be 75% or ¾th cooked. the grains should have a slight bite to them when cooked. the rice should not be fully cooked but almost cooked.
7. drain the rice in a colander. gently fluff and keep aside.

preparing gravy:

1. in a pressure cooker or a pan, heat 3 tbsp ghee. add the following spices - 1 tsp shah jeera, 1 tej patta, 3 green cardamoms, 3 cloves, 1 black cardamom, 1 inch cinnamon. sauté the garam masala till they crackle.
2. now add the onions. stir and sauté them on a low to medium flame.
3. onions take a lot of time to cook, so add a pinch of salt to quicken the cooking process.
4. when the onions are cooking, take 1 cup fresh curd/yogurt in a bowl. beat the curd with a spoon or whisk till it become smooth.
5. sauté the onions till they become golden brown or caramelize.
6. then add the ginger-garlic paste and sliced green chillies. you can also finely chop the ginger-garlic and add.
7. sauté till the raw aroma of ginger-garlic goes away.
8. add the turmeric and red chili powder. stir and mix well.
9. next add the chopped veggies. sauté for a minute or two.
10. add the yogurt. stir. then add water.
11. season with salt. stir again.
12. pressure cook for 1 whistle on medium flame. if cooking in a pot, then cook till the veggies are done. don’t over cook the veggies.
13. warm 4 to 5 tbsp milk in a microwave or in a small pan on the stove top. add ¼ tsp of saffron strands. stir and keep aside.
14. when the pressure settles down on its own, remove the lid and check the gravy. if the veggies are not cooked well, then keep the cooker on the stove top and simmer the gravy without the lid, till the veggies are cooked. if there is too much of water or stock in the gravy, then simmer till some water dries up. the gravy should have a medium or slightly thick consistency and should not be watery.
15. now add cashews, raisins and almonds (blanched or raw) to the vegetable gravy. mix and stir. keep aside. do check the salt. add more if required.

assembling and layering:

1. now in a thick bottomed pan, layer half of the gravy first.
2. then layer half of the rice.
3. sprinkle half of the chopped coriander, mint leaves and saffron milk.
4. layer the remaining gravy.
5. layer the remainder of the rice. sprinkle the remaining coriander, mint leaves, saffron milk on the top. sprinkle 2 tsp of rose water or kewra water. you can make 2 layers or 4 layers like i have done. but do remember that rice should be the last layer.
6. now seal and secure the pot with aluminium foil. then cover with a lid. you can also seal the handi with a moist cotton cloth and then cover with the lid.
7. take a tava/griddle and heat it on medium flame.
8. when the tawa become hot, then lower the flame. keep the sealed biryani handi on the tava. keep the flame to the lowest and cook for 25-30 minutes. you can also dum cook biryani for the first 15 minutes on direct low flame and then for the last 10 minutes, place the handi on the hot tava and cook on a low flame.
9. for baking - you could also preheat the oven to 180 degree celsius and then bake the biryani in the oven for 20-25 minutes. please remember to use an oven proof glass utensil like the pyrex bowl for baking in the oven. you will have to assemble the biryani as mentioned above in the oven proof utensil and then bake it.
10. serve the delicious hyderabadi veg biryani with your choice of raita, onion salad,mango pickle, roasted papad.

how to make hyderabadi veg biryani recipe:

prepping rice and veggies for biryani:

1. pick and rinse 1.5 cups (300 grams) basmati rice in running water till the water runs clear of starch. soak the rice in water for 30 minutes.

2. after 30 minutes drain the rice and keep aside.

3. when the rice is soaking prep the other ingredients. rinse, peel and chop the veggies.

• i have used 3 cups mixed veggies including green peas. you can use your choice of mixed vegetables.
• slice 1 large onion thinly (about 1 heaped cup thinly sliced onion).
• finely chop or crush 10 grams ginger (2 pieces of 2 inch ginger or 1.5 tbsp finely chopped ginger).
• finely chop or crush 5 grams garlic (10 to 12 medium garlic cloves or 1 tbsp finely chopped garlic).
• slit 3 to 4 green chilies also.
• chop coriander leaves and mint leaves. you should get ⅓ cup each of chopped coriander leaves and mint leaves.

4. now we need to cook the rice. for cooking rice, you can use any method – microwave, pressure cooking or cooking in a pot. for cooking rice in a pot, take a deep bottomed pan. add 5 cups water and heat the water on a high flame.

5. when the water becomes hot, add all the spices and ½ tsp salt – 1 tej patta, 3 green cardamoms, 3 cloves, 1 black cardamom, 1 inch cinnamon and 2 single strands of mace.

6. bring the water to a boil on a high flame.

7. then add the rice.

8. just gently stir with a spoon or fork, after you add the rice.

9. do not reduce the flame and continue to cook the rice.

10. the rice has to be 75% or ¾ᵗʰ cooked. the grains should have a slight bite to them when cooked. the rice should not be fully cooked but almost cooked.

11. drain the rice in a colander. you can also rinse the rice gently with water so that the grains stop cooking.

 preparing hyderabadi vegetable biryani gravy:

12. in a pressure cooker or a pan, heat 3 tbsp ghee. add the following spices – 1 tsp shah jeera, 1 tej patta, 3 green cardamoms, 3 cloves, 1 black cardamom, 1 inch cinnamon. sauté the garam masala till they crackle.

13. now add the sliced onions.

14. stir and sauté them on a low to medium flame.

15. onions take a lot of time to cook, so add a pinch of salt to quicken the cooking process.

16. when the onions are cooking, take 1 cup fresh curd/yogurt (200 grams) in a bowl. beat the curd with a spoon or whisk till it become smooth.

17. sauté the onions till they become golden brown or caramelize.

18. then add the ginger-garlic paste and sliced green chillies. you can also finely chop the ginger-garlic and add.

19. sauté till the raw aroma of ginger-garlic goes away.

20. add the turmeric and red chili powder. stir and mix well.

21. next add the chopped veggies.

21. sauté for a minute or two.

22. add the beaten yogurt/dahi. stir.

23. then add ½ cup water.

24. season with salt. stir again.

25. pressure cook for 1 whistle on medium flame. if cooking in a pot, then cook till the veggies are done.don’t over cook the veggies. when the pressure settles down on its own, remove the lid and check the gravy. if the veggies are not cooked well, then keep the cooker on the stove top and simmer the gravy without the lid, till the veggies are cooked. if there is too much of water or stock in the gravy, then simmer till some water dries up. the gravy should have a medium or slightly thick consistency and should not be watery.

26. add cashews, raisins and almonds (blanched or raw) to the vegetable gravy. mix and stir. keep aside. do check the salt. add more if required.

27. when the veggies are cooking, warm 4 to 5 tbsp milk in a microwave or in a small pan on the stove top. add ¼ tsp of saffron strands. stir and keep aside.

assembling and layering veg biryani recipe:

29. now in a thick bottomed pan, layer half of the gravy first.

30. then layer half of the rice.

31. sprinkle half of the chopped coriander, mint leaves and saffron milk.

32. layer the remaining gravy.

33. layer the remainder of the rice. sprinkle the remaining coriander, mint leaves, saffron milk on the top. sprinkle 2 tsp of rose water or kewra water. you can make 2 layers or 4 layers like i have done. but do remember that rice should be the last layer.

34. there are a few ways the biryani can be dum cooked:

method one – a) seal and secure the pot with aluminium foil.

b) then cover the pan/pot with a tight fitting lid.

35. method 2 – a) you can also seal the handi/pan with a moist cotton cloth.

b). then keep a lid on top.

c). then keep a heavy weight on the lid.

36. take a tava/griddle and heat it on medium flame. you can begin to preheat the tava when you start assembling the biryani.

37. when the tawa become hot, then lower the flame. keep the sealed biryani handi on the tava. keep the flame to the lowest and cook for 25-30 minutes. you can also dum cook biryani for the first 15 minutes on direct low flame and then for the last 10 minutes, place the handi on the hot tava and cook on a low flame.

for baking – you could also preheat the oven to 180 degree celsius and then bake the biryani in a preheated oven for 20-25 minutes. please remember to use an oven proof glass utensil like the pyrex bowl for baking in the oven. you will have to assemble the biryani as mentioned above in the oven proof utensil. cover with aluminium foil or the pyrex bowl lid and then bake.

38. after 25 to 30 minutes, switch off the flame. give a standing time of 5 to 7 minutes and then serve the biryani.

39. while serving the veg biryani, make sure you equally serve the vegetables as well as rice. here is a pic of the layers seen inside the handi.

40. serve this delicious hyderabadi veg biryani with your choice of raita, onion-salad-kuchumber,mango pickle, roasted papad. other accompaniments for this hyderabad veg biryani are hyderabadi mirchi ka salan and veg shorba gravy.

quick recap of hyderabadi veg biryani recipe with video: